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Dipole field locate point determination using a horizontal flux vector

  • US 6,653,837 B2
  • Filed: 10/30/2002
  • Issued: 11/25/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an overall system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a path while transmitting a dipole locating signal such that the locating signal exhibits locate points at the surface of the ground, both ahead of and to the rear of the boring tool, a method comprising the steps of:

  • measuring a local flux intensity of the locating signal for at least one above ground point;

    establishing a horizontal flux vector at that point which is generally oriented in a horizontal plane by using the measured local flux intensity to determine components of the locating signal in the horizontal plane which components define the horizontal flux vector; and

    moving in a direction generally defined by the orientation of the horizontal flux vector as at least an intermediate step in establishing the position of a nearest one of the locate points.

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